Association of high fever and short bacterial excretion after salmonellosis.

One hundred and two children with salmonella gastroenteritis were studied for factors affecting the length of convalescent bacterial excretion. There was a significant correlation between degree of fever and duration of excretion: a fever of greater than or equal to 40 degrees C had the shortest and no fever the longest duration of excretion. Fever therefore appears to have a favourable prognostic influence on the length of salmonella excretion.